| The Binding shown above is found in the British Library Database of Bookbindings, shelfmark c22f1-3. There are six images in the database for this particular binding which is very unusual, where even two or three images of a single binding is exceptional. There is a view of the front board, most of the spine, the page edges, top and front view, showing the gold tooling on the edges of the boards, a photo of part of the blue velvet pastedowns and inner dentelle, and most importantly a photograph of the binders ticket of Derome le jeune. |
| According to a chronological classification of these tickets by Pascal Ract Madoux Essai de classement chronologique des etiquettes de Derome le Jeune in Bulletin du Bibliophile no 2 Paris, 1989, this binding may have executed sometime between1780-1785 (example E1). This is a very important observation, because it indicates that Derome was still using the same tools and same methods to produce large dentele bindings, as he was when he first started making them perhaps some 20 years earlier. This is not a surprise and follows the trend of many binders who stuck to their tried and true favorite tools for most of their careers. In the case of Derome, where so many different decorative styles and tools are being attributed to him, even by modern "experts", c22f3 would seem to suggest the contrary, and that these new stlyes and tools are not the work of Derome le jeune. I want to stress two ideas when it comes to catalogueing the tools of different binders. One is that , if we see a multitude of familiar tools of a certain binder in the decoration of a binding, that binding can be considered as attributable to the particular binder. And a binding where we do not see at least some of the favorite tools of a particular binder should not be attributed to that binder. This may sound trivial and obvious, but this is not what we see happening, bindings are attributed to Derome but there are no Derome tools present! I prefer a slightly rarified catalogue that I am 100 percent sure of than one that includes rather rare and or exceptional imprints. (with some exceptions as we will see shortly). |
| The full back and front view with spine that you see at the top of this page is not however found in the database, it is my virtual reconstruction of the binding, that incorporates the database images as well as scanned images of the back board and part of the spine. This is the art of Virtual Bookbinding, click on this image to see an enlargement. Below is a detail from one of the scans of the back board. On a previous page we have researched a number of excellent high resolution images of the imprints from a binding in Rahir's 1910 catalogue, item 233, now we can add to this imprint collection some imprints that are not found on item 233. First we can show that some tools are identical |
| Below is a larger collection of Derome's tools that I assembled several years ago, now we need to add many more tools, I did not include palettes which are even more important so we should do that on the next page |
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see the next page Derome le jeune palettes. click here to return to the INDEX of new pages. see below links to previous work |
| Even experts are sometimes wrong, before you spend thousands on a book, please do your own research! Just because I say a certain binding can be attributed to le Maitre isn't any kind of guarantee, don't take my word for it, go a step further and get your own proof. In these pages I have provided you with a way of doing just that. |
| Virtual Bookings, created by L. A. Miller | return to the Home page of VIRTUAL BOOKBINDINGS |